Psilostrophe sparsiflora (A. Gray) A. Nelson
Viridiplantae > Streptophyta > Streptophytina > Embryophyta > Tracheophyta > Euphyllophyta > Spermatophyta > Magnoliopsida > Mesangiospermae > eudicotyledons > Gunneridae > Pentapetalae > asterids > campanulids > Asterales > Asteraceae > Asteroideae > Heliantheae alliance > Helenieae > Tetraneurinae > Psilostrophe sparsiflora [1]
![Psilostrophe sparsiflora flower and leaf. Photo by Thomas Binder [2]](/crfs/images/native-plants/plant-directory/greenstempaperflower-first.jpg)
Psilostrophe sparsiflora flower and leaf. Photo by Thomas Binder [2]
Perennial herbs from a caudex; stems 14–60 cm tall, green, densely to moderately long, white-pilose basally, only sparingly villous-tomentose upward. Leaves alternate, simple, 0.9–11.5 (-14.5) cm long, 1–11 mm wide, spatulate to oblanceolate or linear, pubescent like the stems or glabrate. Inflorescences of few to many heads in corymbose groups, peduncles up to 35 mm long, involucres 4.5-6 mm high, 4–6 mm wide. Ray flowers pistillate (female), yellow, 6–12 mm long, reflexed in fruit, disk flowers perfect, 5-lobed; pappus scales 1.5–2.5 mm long, acute. Fruits achenes, yellowish, 2.5–3 mm long [3].
![Psilostrophe sparsiflora flower, leaf, and stem. Drawing by Mary Vaux Walcott [4].](/crfs/images/native-plants/plant-directory/greenstempaperflower-sec.jpg)
Psilostrophe sparsiflora flower, leaf, and stem. Drawing by Mary Vaux Walcott [4].
Unlike other members of the Aster family, the genus Psilostrophe has ray flowers that are persistent even after the disk flowers have gone to fruit [5]. The ray flowers become papery in texture and are the reason behind part of the common name. There are three species of Psilostrophe that are native to Utah. All three have persistent ray flowers and are all referred to as paperflowers. They can be distinguished by the color and texture of their stems: P. cooperi (Whitestem Paperflower) has white tomentose stems; P. tagetina (Wooly paperflower) have gray stems that are white and wooly on the underside; P. sparsiflora is the only one of the genus to have green stems and is easily distinguished.
On a species level, A. Gray was the first author to describe this plant in western science in 1884 [6]. It was known then as Riddellia tagentina var. sparsiflora. As time passed and more morphological and phylogenetic data was recorded, the name was changed to Psilostrophe sparsiflora by A. Nelson in 1903 [3].
![Entire plant of Psilostrophe sparsiflora showing persistent ray flowers. Photo by Phillip Woods [9].](/crfs/images/native-plants/plant-directory/greenstempaperflower-third.jpg)
Entire plant of Psilostrophe sparsiflora showing persistent ray flowers. Photo by Phillip Woods [9].
The most noted ethnobotanical uses come from the Hopi, Navajo, and Kayenta tribes. The Hopi would use it in addition to other medicines to make them stronger and as a part of ceremonies. One ceremony in particular was called a Snake Dance [10]. The Navajo and Kayenta used the plant in similar ways. In these tribes, it was used as a postpartum blood purifier, diarrhea aid, it would get mushed into a pulp to place on wounds, and was a “Life Medicine” [11].
![County-level distribution by Greenstem Paperflower [12].](/crfs/images/native-plants/plant-directory/greenstempaperflower-fourth.jpg)
County-level distribution by Greenstem Paperflower [12].
Psilostrophe sparsiflora is currently under no form of conservation. It is not listed as threatened [13].
Greenstem Paperflower can be found in silty, gravelly, or sandy soils where it doesn’t mind the lack of water and welcomes the company of other desert plants. It is mostly found in the Colorado Plateau of Utah; it is a part of Sagebrush, Desert Shrub, and Pinyon-Juniper plant communities [5].
[1] U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Taxonomy browser (root). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi
[2] Photograph, Thomas binder. https://identify.plantnet.org/k-world-flora/species/Psilostrophe%20sparsiflora%20%28A.Gray%29%20A.Nelson/data
[3] Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; and Higgins, Larry C., "A Utah Flora, Fifth Edition, Revised" (2015). Books by Faculty of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum. 4.
[4] Drawing, Mary Vaux Walcott. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psilostrophe_sparsiflora-saam_1970.355.121.jpg
[5] Lesica, P., & Fertig, W. (2018). Spring Wildflowers of Utah’s Red Rock Desert. Trillium Press.
[6] U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Taxonomy browser (root). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi
[7] Stearn, W. T. (2013). Botanical latin. David & Charles : Timber Press.
[8] Photograph, Phillip Woods. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3718982
[9] Colton, Harold S., 1974, Hopi History And Ethnobotany, IN D. A. Horr (ed.) Hopi Indians. Garland: New York., page 354
[10] Wyman, Leland C. and Stuart K. Harris, 1951, The Ethnobotany of the Kayenta Navaho, Albuquerque. The University of New Mexico Press, page 49
[11] USDA plants database. (n.d.). https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=PSSP
[12] Greenstem Paperflower. NatureServe Explorer 2.0. (n.d.). https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141461/Psilostrophe_sparsiflora
